Kat Falls’ debut novel, DARK LIFE (Scholastic Press, May 2010), has made a big splash with reviewers. Kirkus calls the dystopian fantasy “a thrilling conversion of the classics to one of our newer frontiers,” while Publishers Weekly calls it an “action-packed aquatic adventure” that “warrants further exploration.” And VOYA sums it all up, naming it “a definite must-read.”

Stephen Messer’s debut middle-grade fantasy adventure, WINDBLOWNE (Random House, May 2010)—about a boy named Oliver who’s transported to alternate versions of his tree-filled and windswept world on a magical kite—got a great review from Kirkus. The publication calls it “an inventive debut fantasy, set in multiple worlds linked by trees and winds....Messer constructs a tale that moves along at a powerful, steady pace to a climactic faceoff, and Oliver’s realization that the gateway to worlds is open for those who can truly listen to the wind’s voices sparks a memorable sea change in his self-image.”

We’re happy to report that the audiobook of Amy Huntley’s THE EVERAFTER (Brilliance Audio), narrated by Tavia Gilbert, received a starred review in the latest edition of School Library Journal. “Huntley’s fabulous, haunting debut novel is a ghost story, a mystery, and a love story that creates a unique twist on one of life’s ponderables: what happens after we die?...This is as close as you can get to a full-cast narration with a solo voice.”

THE DEATH-DEFYING PEPPER ROUX (HarperCollins, 2010), the upcoming title from Printz Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Geraldine McCaughrean, has received its fourth starred review. School Library Journal says of the book: “Pepper, in all his endearing innocence and goodness, will capture readers’ hearts, and Duchesse, the cross-dressing steward, may be the most hilarious yet wise character in children’s literature this decade.”

Alan Katz’s upcoming collection of poetry, UH-OH! (McElderry Books, March 2010), illustrated by Edward Koren, received a glowing review from Kirkus. “So brisk and varied is the mix of wordplay...that it’s hard to stop reading—or reading aloud, for that matter,” says the publication about this follow-up to OOPS!, and calls the poems “as clever and funny as the poetry of Jack Prelutsky in his prime.”

We're thrilled to report that THE DEATH-DEFYING PEPPER ROUX (HarperCollins, 2010), the upcoming title from Printz Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Geraldine McCaughrean, has received its first review. In its starred review, Booklist calls PEPPER ROUX "a more whimsical, French cousin to Neil Gaiman's THE GRAVEYARD BOOK (2008), with a similar sort of timelessly classic feel that emphasizes the value of finding family, but never at the expense of storytelling that delights in its own joyful sense of improbability."

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson's picture book BAD NEWS FOR OUTLAWS—the story of deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves—has gotten starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, bringing its total to four. Publishers Weekly calls it "an arresting portrait" of "African-American lawman Bass Reeves...that elevates him to folk hero."

We're excited to report that in its review of THE EVERAFTER by debut author Amy Huntley, Publishers Weekly says, "Huntley is an author worth watching."

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson's picture book BAD NEWS FOR OUTLAWS—the story of deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves—has gotten two starred reviews, from The Horn Book and Kirkus, which says, "Saddle up with a genuine Western hero in a narrative that hits the bulls-eye."